MANILA — Malacañang said Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte’s testimony of in the impeachment trial could set a dangerous precedent for local chief executives, arguing that leaders cannot always claim ignorance on matters in their jurisdictions.
Duterte testified Tuesday that he was unaware that his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte had declared a business interest in GenCorp Industries Inc., adding that he would not have allowed the city government to award contracts to the company if he was.
“Magiging delikado ito kung gagamitin din ito ng iba mga mayors para sabihing ‘hindi ko alam, na kapatid ko pala iyong ka-transact ko’,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing Wednesday, September 30.
(It will be dangerous if other mayors can use this example to say 'I did not know that I was entering a transaction with my sibling.)
The Palace official also argued that the Arias Doctrine, which was mentioned by Senator-judge Panfilo Lacson during the trial, cannot always be invoked.
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The Arias Doctrine states that heads of offices may rely to a reasonable extent on their subordinates and on the good faith of those who prepare bids, purchase supplies or enter into negotiations.
Castro said Mayor Duterte's testimony at the Senate impeachment court only showed that he did not know details of the deals with GenCorp and did not bother to find out.
She said, however, that the mayor had "in a way" implicated Vice President Duterte by saying he would not have entered into deals with the firm if he had known she was connected to it.
Castro said she was not making any judgments and was only commenting on what Mayor Duterte had said in court.
Castro reminded local leaders to be vigilant in approving transactions, saying that they cannot just cite Arias Doctrine to shield themselves.
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Pressed whether it is acceptable for Mayor Duterte to be uninformed on the businesses that city hall transacts with, Castro said that is up to the public to judge.
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Asked whether the Palace deems it necessary to investigate the Duterte family’s ties with Jaime Tan Cruz, Castro said it would be better to look into the former special envoy's potential involvement.
"Sa lahat ng pagkakataon, kung may mga instances na maaari nating masabi or maimbestigahan na ang isang pribadong tao ay involved sa korupsiyon or pakikipagsabwatan para magnakaw ng pondo ng bayan, hindi po dapat tigilan ang pag-iimbestiga sa mga ganiyang klaseng pagkakataon or sitwasyon,” Castro said.
She also said, however, that investigations into private individuals implicated in alleged corruption should continue.
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Cruz, whose name appeared in documents for several businesses associated with the vice president, was the same special envoy to China for trade and investments appointed in 2019 by then President Rodrigo Duterte.
The younger Duterte confirmed during the trial that he has business ties with Cruz.